Southern Charm
by S.Charlotte.O
Summary: Isabella hasn't had it easy. Blood, fights, violence, pain is all she has known for a long time. Not caring about anybody or anything else but her twin Danny, works just fine for her. But being in Maria's army is going to get more interesting when she meets a certain guy with his southern charm while out looking for new recruits. Life has never been more interesting or difficult.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**_Bella's POV_**

Blood, fights, violence, pain, I was used to it all. I didn't like how I lived, but I would never tell anybody. The phrase "You want something, you fight for it" rang through my head as if it was on loop. To tell the truth I missed my old life and the way things used to be, but it was what my entire life was about.

See in 1648 I was a fighter, in the army and I was damn proud of it. Females were never accepted into the army because that's who they were helping to protect, so I did what I had to, wanting to prove to everybody that I was capable. So when the time came and I was accepted into the army, I had made sure to pin my hair under my hat, change my stance, and use make-up to change my features slightly. Knowing I was helping towards a better future I made sure to not make many friends so they couldn't find out my secret. But of course my secret didn't stay a secret, but by the time it had been found out I had been in the army for the last 18 months and had become a major after the last died while I was a captain. Once my secret was out I had to fight tooth and nail to stay, thinking it would be worth it, not knowing that there were greater evils around. I had proved my worth by making it to major, it was why they let me stay, I was one of the best fighters around, trained by my twin brother, Danny, who was also in the army.

That was my other reason for going into the army; I couldn't bear to let him leave me behind, while he could die out here. They say twins are closer than any other types of siblings and it could well be true because whoever fucks with me, fucks with him. Nobody was allowed to hurt or upset me and it was the same with him, we watched each other's backs and were always on the same wavelength.

Like I said, that was my old life and I wish things was that simple again but here I am in an army again, but this time I wasn't doing it for a better future, I was doing it to survive and I hated every minute of it. Danny made it bearable and we stayed side by side with everyone knowing that we weren't to be fucked with.

This happened when I was out checking the perimeter and my partner was on the other side of our camp making sure that we was not being watched and that we were safe for another night. We always had people round the perimeter and tonight it was my turn. Finding the homeless looking man near the edge of our camp was a shock. Feeling confused I walked over to him. "Are you okay sir?" I questioned, checking him over visually for any injuries or weapons.

"You're a major" was his quick reply, and he understandably looked confused. Starting to reply to him it was my time to be confused when he said "You'll be perfect, you've got a fire within you." And then he moved so quickly he blurred. Looking around for him I drew my weapon up wandering what he could be, turning to look behind me.

Then I felt a burning sensation in my neck. Trying to cry out, I wanted it to stop. But to be truthful what I really wanted was my brother, he could help, he always did. A scream ripped its way out of my throat before it was concealed by a hand being slammed onto my mouth. Struggling to focus I looked around trying to spot anything seeing the homeless man right in front of me I tried to move away but the burning had become intense, and spread throughout my body. I writhed on the ground wishing for it to go away, wishing for the man to go away, when I saw him bring my wrist up to his mouth and mumble "You are going to be useful to me" as he bit down and the world became black.

After what felt like years of going through agonising pain for what felt like years, it was a nice surprise when it started withdrawing and eventually stopping only to open my eyes with a burning in the back of my throat to see the man stood at the corner of a room. "My names Joseph and welcome to my army. Do you remember what you're called?"

"Isabella" was my stuttered reply.

"Well Isabella," he leered, "you're going to be trained and you're going to fight for me. I created you, so you will do as I say when I tell you. Got it?"

"What am I, what's happened to me?" I asked desperately.

"You're a vampire, like me. We're superior in all ways and the ultimate hunter, but cross me and you're going to wish you never lived through the change, understood?" He questioned but made it like a statement.

Knowing there was nothing I could do I mumbled a quick affirmative, clawing at my throat to try and make it go away. As he saw this a grin stretched across his lips, though I thought it made him look creepy.

"I will teach you everything you need to know" was his mysterious reply.

That night was my first hunt. That night was also many years ago when he was still my master. This changed during my 57th year with him, the year 1707, when he traded me for a large piece of land from a vampire, Maria. He traded me because the land was important to him and vampires had been having wars over it for years since it had all battle advantages and has cities on it which meant easy feedings. Because the land was so important he could only get away with trading me for it. This was because I had gifts; my first was a shield, not only a mental shield which stopped any mental attacks but also a physical shield which nothing could penetrate it, I was also a sponge, this meant if a vampire had a gift, I would absorb it so I then had it to I could then choose when I wanted to use any of the gifts which I had absorbed, and was able to use than one at once. This made me very valuable, but what made me more valuable was that I could project all of my gifts, so I could use them on others.

After that I was her puppet, obeying to her every command and being punished for things I did wrong, or just because she felt like doing it. I didn't care though, I had been a puppet for so long I learned to tune everything else out, work with the 'monster' side of me and I learned not to care about anything or anyone else. All I was focused on was surviving, this then meant that I was the best fighter Joseph had ever met, I had never lost a battle. By being able to tune everything out, I was able to withstand pain and I didn't flinch or even blink when it was inflicted. I was introduced to Maria's army a couple of days after being traded, and much to my surprise, my brother was there, looking older than I did but with as many battle scars as I had along with a useful gift. He was able to reflect any gift thrown at him, so it would affect whoever he wanted it to and it wouldn't hurt him or the ones he didn't want it to, useful for an army of vampires.

After seeing Danny again I only looked out for him, just like when I was alive and he was the same, we looked out for each other but did as we were told, training, destroying and making new borns. Maria, working out that we were twins and would do anything for one another, used this to her advantage, it was the only thing she had over me, and if I disobeyed she could hurt my brother. That was her advantage, her blackmail and she used it well and often.

That was 305 years ago and both me and Danny are still here, working for Maria. We have been trained both in human and our vampire lives to become weapons and that's what we are to her. Because of our extensive training and our gifts we are just below her, she is the creator and leader and we are the 'majors' within her army. This is because we are skilled, gifted and deadly, people had to be amazing fighters to get past us, and luckily no one ever had, and they won't because I will do anything to make sure me and Danny both get out of this alive, so failure is not an option, and I will not let it become one. I value our safety here too much too change, or leave. I am now 362 years old, whereas Danny is 360 years old, being changed a couple of years after me by Maria, and blood, fights, violence, pain, I'm used to it all, it is all we've both known for so long, that we probably couldn't change now. Being a weapon is what me and Danny are good at, as much as we hate it, but it would take a hell of a lot to get us out of this, we're the best of the best and don't care about anything else but each other and blood, fights, violence, pain is what we know and what we're good at. We know of nothing else and this is how our lives have progressed and how they're probably going to stay but I don't care as long as my twin is with me through it all, if he is here I will live through this part of my life and will always be ready for whatever is thrown at me.

This is my life, our life, and there is no way out.

**AN: **In this story Jasper was in Maria's army during 1917 for 53 years. His story is the same as it is in the original book (apart from the dates, so he still gets rescued from Peter and Charlotte etc.) Bella didn't meet him because her and Danny were out finding new recruits and spying on another army while only communicating with Maria for updates. Just an FYI on why they haven't met during Maria's army :)


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**_Bella's POV_**

I slammed the new born into the ground, winning the fight. "Never lose focus!" I lectured him. Training was never fun, but it is necessary. Sighing internally I turned and waited for the next new born to walk over to me to start training him as well. Danny sent me a look which I'm sure mirrored mine "Damn new borns with no respect" Danny's voice echoed in my head making me jump slightly.

Sending him a look of agreement I sighed "Only another hour" I murmured to myself, quietly enough so I knew that no one would overhear. Quickly assessing the new born, Sam, in front of me the word "potential" ran through my mind. "When fighting use your mind and your instincts, let them run together to find the best tactic" I called to my group before letting my emotionless mask settle on my face as I quickly fall into my crouch.

I watched as Sam copied, then launched himself at me snarling like a ferocious animal. I could hear snarls from Danny's group going on in the back of my mind but being too focused to listen to them as I quickly assessed Sam's attack knowing what he was going to do, then use it to my advantage with a counter attack. I waited until he could almost grab me before launching myself up and over his head in a move I know he wouldn't have anticipated, as I swung myself round in the air to land just behind him. Swinging my leg so it caught his knees as he stopped realising that I was no longer in front of me, he fell to the ground. Sensing my opportunity I grabbed him as he tried to get up and used my strength to my advantage and bit his neck, which showed his loss. He howled in pain and tried fighting, using purely his instincts, realising this I quickly moved him so he was face down on the floor and I moved so I could sit on his back while pinning his hands to his sides which then effectively cut off any type of attack he could have been planning. "Use your new born strength because that is the one advantage you have against all the others." I spoke while getting off of him and gesturing for him to join the others.

"Tomorrow we are gonna work on endurance. I will give ya'll an example and ya'll are gonna try and copy it. My and Danny are gonna put the groups together to work on this as we can assume that all of ya'll have little to no pain endurance." I called to my group with a cold voice, although that is how my voice always is. 'Apart from when I'm talkin' to Danny' came a thought from the back of my head and I internally smirked knowing it was true, everybody else had only heard me speak with a cold voice, with no emotion, other than anger or annoyance, with no emotion ever showing on my face, not even when in pain. Listening over to Danny's group I hear him giving a similar talk to his group.

"You expect us not to do anythin' when you're inflictin' pain on us!" Snarled one of the most recent new borns in my group

"No, I expect ya'll to stand there, not do anythin' _and_ to not make any noise while I inflict pain on ya'll!" I snarled in a voice so cold that everyone flinched and I heard Danny's group fall silent to watch us. Walking closer to the new born who had talked down to me I realised I was growling but the thought left my head, I didn't really care that I was. "Another thing is that I expect for ya'll to show me respect," I snarled at him while still growling "and ya'll will give it to me before I _make_ ya'll give it to me. Is that understood?" I snarled at him feeling his terror while also feeling Danny sending me calming vibes but disregarding them as I sized up the new born cowering in front of me.

I watched as the new born whimpered and nodded his head quickly.

"I can't hear you" I said in a voice which was filled with threats that everyone knew I would inflict.

He whimpered again "Yes, I understand" he quickly stuttered. Nodding showing him that I'm satisfied with his answer I backed up and looked at the rest of our group.

"Ya'll will show me respect until the day when you defeat me and then I will respect you, understood?" I questioned my whole group and watched as my statement was responded to with nods and affirmatives. "Good" I responded. "We will meet up here tomorrow at 6am. Leave now." I watched as my group left and turned in time to watch Danny dismiss his group.

"Ready to go" Danny questioned me with a smile a few seconds later.

Smiling I nodded, while noting absentmindedly that it was the first time I smiled today. "Let's go out in the trees" I responded.

He grinned "Race ya!" he shouted while sprinting. I grinned and started sprinting after him, intent on winning the race. I smirked as I caught up to him, before quickly over taking him and then hearing him shouting that I cheated. I grinned and turned back just long enough to stick my tongue out at him before racing towards my destination again. I loved running and the freeness of it, it is one thing that I allowed myself to enjoy, because if Maria knew she would probably take that from me.

As I reached the destination, I stopped and leaned against a tree a few feet away from me and waited for my brother, although I didn't have to wait long as he was next to me in a couple of seconds. Grinning, I looked at him "slow coach" I thought, and watched as his expression changed to one of mock outrage as he heard it. He playfully growled at me before giving up with pretending and laughing with me. Sighing I led down trying to release the tension which I've been carrying around all day. Looking to the side I could see Danny also was trying to release his frustration which the newborns frequently made us feel. Smiling slightly I looked around the clearing while maintaining my position, I wasn't worried about anyone coming here, they wouldn't dare follow us, fearing of the consequences. As the thought popped into my head I smirked, knowing it to be true before going back through my memories of me and Danny coming here. This was our space and we didn't tell others of it because if the wars had taught us anything it was to no trust anyone and I stuck by that with the only exception being my brother. Spacing out I thought of our times when we were human, running around, playing pranks and getting in shit but always with one another.

"Is that a smile I see? I'm shocked sis, I didn't know you were capable." Came Danny's mocking voice quickly breaking me out of my thoughts.

Looking quickly at him i smirked "Of course I'm capable. Just no one around worth smilin' at." I snarked right back at him.

"Please, we both know that you love my sarcasm!"

"Yeah, in ya dreams. Oh wait, you don't dream." I replied back with a smirk knowing I've won this round.

"Whatever. What were you thinkin' 'bout anyway?" Hearing the genuine curiosity in his voice I felt a small smile on my lips.

"Just our time as humans and how awesome we were." Turning to look at him I saw memories pass over his eyes as his own smile sat on his lips. I felt my defences coming down, something which I only did around Danny, no matter how harsh I was or how pissed off, Danny's family, my only family, and I know I would do everything in my power to make sure we stayed together, and I know he would also do the same. He laughs at a memory he obviously remembered, which was something he only did around me. "What is it?" I asked hesitantly remembering how I wasn't exactly graceful as a human.

"Being called awesome is an insult to us, we were like super mega awesome!" He said as a grin slipped onto both of our faces.

"Yeah, we were." I smirked as a memory came to me "Especially when we were racin'."

"Oh that's not fair, we both knew that my horse didn't exactly like me!" Danny whined making me laugh.

"Or you were just shit." I replied still smirking.

"Shut up." Came his huffed reply, making me chuckle quietly.

"Yes, sir."

Falling into quietness I thought over the day and what we would be doing in the lesson later. A sigh escaped my lips as I pushed the thought to the back of my mind, it wasn't important right now. Looking up, I sighed relaxing into the ground, while doing nothing for just a while. This is something which we did often when we had a spare few minutes because it reminded us that we weren't alone and between the two of us, we would always be fine because we would always watch each other's backs.

Danny's voice broke through my reverie; "We need to leave now, we've been here for around an hour and you know she checks up on us frequently."

A small sigh escaped my lips as I stood and started walking back to camp feeling the words "back to hell" floated through my mind and I internally snorted knowing ironically that the camp was just that, my own personal hell.


End file.
